Chapter 56: A Loophole in the Law
James
Pacing across his office, James wore a path in the plush carpet beneath his restless feet. His gut churned as he waited nervously for the report to confirm what his wolf had been screaming at him for three days. The dreams of Trishelle had stopped. Not a single one had visited him in seventy-two hours. For weeks, she had appeared nightly - a phantom in his mind, a connection that soothed the beast within him. Her absence created a void, a cold, echoing emptiness that gnawed at his insides. It was the first time in weeks the dreams had ceased, and the silence terrified him more than he cared to admit.
Those dreams had calmed both him and his wolf. Were they merely dreams, or had they shared something deeper, something real? The possibility had given him hope - a fragile thread suggesting they might work things out. After all, she carried his pup. That alone made her worthy of becoming his Luna. The thought of his child, his legacy, drove him forward. Even if something happened to him, he had already consulted a lawyer from the council to ensure that pup would be his rightful heir, a legacy secured against any challenge.
The office door swung open without a knock. Richard stepped inside, his face a mask of grim resignation - the expression of a man about to deliver very bad news. He sighed, the sound heavy in the quiet room, and lowered himself into one of the leather chairs facing James’s desk.
"I did what you asked, Alpha," Richard began, his voice barely above a whisper. "You were right. Alpha Bradley returned home two days earlier than scheduled."
Richard paused, his gaze dropping to his hands. He knew his Alpha was about to explode. Taking a steadying breath, he plunged ahead. "They spent the night together - the whole night. In fact, they both went to his room as soon as he arrived." He swallowed hard. "He carried her inside, Alpha. In front of the whole pack. Like she already belonged to him."
James slammed his hands down on the desk. The sharp crack of wood on wood made Richard flinch. Burying his face in his hands, James ruffled his already disheveled hair, his fingers trembling with barely contained rage. His wolf had been right. Something - or someone - had severed the only connection he had with Trishelle.
*Stupid!* his wolf snarled in his head, a furious, caged beast straining against invisible bars. *You should have claimed her when you had the chance! That first night! Even if she had met Bradley after, our mating bond would have already been in place. He couldn’t have touched what was ours!*
The thought of running to Goldmoon, of tearing Bradley Goldstone limb from limb, raced through his mind - a red haze of violence that promised satisfaction. But was there any hope left? He still wanted the pup to be his heir, no matter what. More than that, he wanted to be the one to raise the child, to shape his son or daughter into a worthy successor. Could he petition the council for custody when the baby was born? What Alpha would willingly raise another Alpha’s child? It was an insult, a humiliation no proud wolf would accept. Claiming the mother didn’t necessarily mean claiming the pup, right?
That thought caused James to shoot up from his seat, his chair scraping violently against the floor. Richard jumped to his feet, startled by the sudden movement.
Wait. Had Bradley actually claimed Trishelle? James spun toward Richard, his eyes wild with desperate hope. "Was she marked?" he demanded, swallowing the lump in his throat. From his research, from what that old witch Cynthia had probably told Bradley, marking her would be dangerous given her condition. If Bradley hadn’t marked her, maybe - just maybe - there was still a chance to turn this situation in his favor.
Richard scratched his head, genuinely wondering about his Alpha’s mental state. What did it matter if she bore a mark on her neck or not? That Alpha had made sure to mark her everywhere else, if the reports were accurate. Wasn’t James listening?
"Well?" James urged, his voice a dangerous growl that raised the hair on Richard’s arms.
Clearing his throat, Richard shook his head carefully. "Uh... no. She wasn’t properly marked per se, but - "
James’s triumphant cheer cut him off, the sound almost manic in its intensity. "That’s great, Richard! Excellent work. Thank you for your diligence." James practically shoved him toward the door. "Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have some urgent business to attend to." He pushed Richard into the hallway before locking the door firmly behind him.
Richard stood in the corridor, bewildered and increasingly concerned. He wondered again if his Alpha was truly okay. Shaking his head, he made a mental note to talk to the other senior pack members about this. Maybe James needed a vacation or professional help. This whole Trishelle situation was clearly taking a severe toll on his mental state.
Meanwhile, James had already returned to his desk, phone in hand. His fingers moved with practiced ease as he dialed the number he had memorized over the last two weeks.
"Lawyer’s office," came the nasal, bored voice of the secretary.
"Hi Natalie, could you put me through to Sid? Thanks." James forced his voice to sound calm, professional.
Natalie obliged without comment. A moment later, a smoother, more polished voice came on the line. "Hey, Alpha James, what can I do for you today?"
Sydney Jones was the lawyer from the werewolf council James had been consulting. The middle-aged wolf ran a hand over his balding head as he settled into his chair. Although not an omega, Sydney had never excelled as a warrior, preferring instead the battlefield of legalities and loopholes - a realm where he was truly formidable.
"Sid, Trishelle got together with her mate," James announced, his tone carefully neutral.
Sydney nodded, though James couldn’t see the gesture through the phone. "I see," he replied slowly, trying to gauge where this was heading. From their previous discussions, it had seemed like James harbored genuine feelings for the she-wolf. Yet he sounded... not upset. Calculating, perhaps.
"Yeah, but guess what?" James’s voice turned slick with satisfaction, like oil spreading across water. "Based on the information you provided, Bradley didn’t mark her. Which means that even though they became physical, Trishelle is still technically an unmated she-wolf in the eyes of werewolf law."
Sydney shrugged, leaning back in his chair. "So...?"
"So this means that based on werewolf law, since she remains unmated and is carrying my pup, I have the right to demand her hand in a formal claim." James leaned back in his chair, a predator who had just spotted the perfect weakness in his prey’s defenses. His heart raced with anticipation.
Sydney rubbed his chin thoughtfully, his legal mind already working through the implications. "You do have a point. That section of the law is old - very old, dating back to the founding packs - but it remains valid. However, you only have a few weeks left to make your move, or the window closes permanently. The precedent for a mating ceremony, even without a formal mark, would likely invalidate your claim. Courts have ruled that way before."
"I know," James said smoothly, his confidence growing with each word. "That’s exactly where I need you. I need you to draft a document - whatever legal instrument is most binding - citing that law and formally demanding that Trishelle grant me the rights to my pup. Make it ironclad."
Sydney smiled, the kind of smile that made you feel like snakes were slithering over your skin. His eyes gleamed with professional interest. "I know just what to do. Give me three days, and I’ll have something drawn up so binding that not even the jaws of life could cut through it. We’ll cite every relevant precedent, every loophole that works in your favor."
They discussed the details further, agreeing on Sid’s exorbitant fee without much negotiation. James didn’t care about the cost - this was too important. When they finally hung up, James felt a weight lift from his shoulders.
Leaning back in his chair, James allowed himself a moment of satisfaction. He was certain this would work. Once the legal documents were in place, once he had Trishelle where he needed her, he and his wolf would finally have the woman they’d been craving. He just needed to be alone with her long enough for the rest of his plans to unfold. With Sid on his side, wielding the full weight of werewolf law, he was confident things would swing in his favor.
Rubbing his hands together, James felt a surge of motivation course through him. He looked at the piles of documents scattered across his desk - work he’d been neglecting for days. All of this had to be sorted out within the next three days. When he arrived at Goldmoon to make his intentions known, he wasn’t going to waste precious time buried in paperwork. With this goal in mind, a new fire ignited in his gut, burning away the despair that had plagued him.
The Alpha got to work with renewed vigor. He called for someone to bring him brunch, his appetite returning for the first time in days. Soon, whispers spread through the pack - rumors that James was in better spirits, that he had returned to his old self. Pack members exchanged relieved glances, grateful their Alpha seemed to be recovering from whatever had been troubling him.
Richard heard these rumors and felt his concern deepen rather than ease. He wondered what had truly transpired in that locked office. What had changed so dramatically in those few minutes? Shaking his head, he made a mental note to keep a closer watch on his Alpha.
Only time would reveal what was going to happen next, and Richard had a sinking feeling that whatever James was planning, it wouldn’t end well for anyone involved.